with the duplicate, making three extra fifteens, it must be worth 20
altogether; 8 for the four fifteens, and 12 for the double pair royal.
[Illustration:
🂢 🃖 🂷 🂧 🃇
]
If you have two duplicates of any one card in the original combination,
there are only two extra fifteens, and the combination will be worth
12; 6 for the three fifteens, and 6 more for the pair royal.
[Illustration:
🃒 🂦 🃖 🂷 🃗
]
If you have duplicates of two different cards you can form four
fifteens; because you can replace the Seven first, and then the Six,
and then put the first Seven back again with the new Six. This will
make the combination of the same value as if you had three duplicates
of one card, 12 points; 8 for the four fifteens, and 4 for the two
single pairs.
_=Combinations.=_ The beginner’s greatest difficulty is in counting
hands which contain all three varieties of counts; pairs, sequences,
and fifteens. But if he is familiar with the values of the various
combinations taken separately, he will have no difficulty in computing
them when they are found together. Some regular order should be
observed in going over the hands, so that nothing shall be forgotten.
The majority of players begin with the fifteens, as they are more
liable to be overlooked, and then reckon the value of the runs and
pairs together.
Take the following examples:--
No. 1. [Illustration: 🃕 🂵 🂥 🃖 🃇]
No. 2. [Illustration: 🂦 🃇 🂨 🃈 🃘]
No. 3. [Illustration: 🃆 🂧 🂸 🂩 🂹]
No. 4. [Illustration: 🃖 🂷 🃗 🃈 🃘]
No. 1 contains a fifteen in addition to the three runs of three and the
pair royal, and is therefore worth 17 altogether. Nos. 2 and 3 each
contain three fifteens; but No. 2 is worth 21 points on account of the
three runs of three and the pair royal, while No. 3 is worth only 16;
a double run of four and a single pair. No. 4 contains four fifteens
in addition to the four runs of three and two single pairs, and is
therefore worth 24 points.
The best combination that can be held in hand or crib is three Fives
and a Jack, with the Five of the same suit as the Jack for a starter.
We have already seen that the four Fives by themselves are worth 20,
to which we must add the four extra fifteens made by combining the
Jack with each Five separately, and one more point for his nobs, 29
altogether. If the Jack was the starter, the combination would be worth
30 to the dealer, but his heels would have to be counted before a card
was played.
_=Flushes.=_ In addition to the foregoing combinations, if all four
cards in the hand are of the same suit the player can peg four points
for the flush; if the starter is also the same suit, five points. A
flush does not count in the crib unless the starter is the same suit,
and then it counts five points. Flushes are never made in play.
_=Laying Out for the Crib.=_ With this knowledge of the objects of
game, and the various counting combinations, it will be seen that each
player should keep the cards which count the most for him, or which are
most likely to form good combinations with different starters.
Suppose the non-dealer holds these cards:--
[Illustration:
🃖 🂧 🂨 🂸 🂩 🃚
]
If he puts the two Eights in his adversary’s crib, he not only gives
him two very good cards, which go to form a great many valuable
combinations, but he leaves himself absolutely nothing but 2 points for
a single fifteen, formed by the 9 and 6. It would be a little better,
but still very bad play, for him to discard the 8 and 6, leaving
himself a sequence of four cards and a fifteen, 6 points altogether. He
might do a little better by discarding the 10 and 8, leaving himself
a run of four, and two fifteens, 8 points altogether. If he discards
either the 10 and 9, or the 10 and 6, he will leave himself a double
run of three, a pair, and two fifteens, 12 altogether. Of these two
discards, that of the 10 and 6 is better than the 10 and 9, because the
10 and 9 might help to form a sequence in the adversary’s crib, whereas
the 10 and 6 are so far apart that they are very unlikely to be of any
use.
Cards which are likely to form parts of sequences are called _=close
cards=_, and those which are too widely separated to do so are called
_=wide cards=_.
_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ The crib laid out and the starter cut, the pone
begins by playing any card he pleases. The card he selects he lays face
upward on the table on his own side of the cribbage board, and at the
same time announces its pip value; two, five, or ten, whatever it may
be. It is then the dealer’s turn to play a card from his hand, which
is also laid face upward on the table, but on the dealer’s side of the
cribbage board. Instead of announcing the pip value of this second
card, the dealer calls out the total value of the two cards taken
together. The pone then lays another card on the table face upward and
on the top of the first, which is not turned face down, and at the same
time announces the total pip value of the three cards so far played;
the dealer plays again, and so on.
If at any time the total pip value of the cards played is exactly
15 or 31, the one who plays the card that brings it to that number
pegs two points for it at once. If any counting combination, such as
a pair, pair royal, or sequence, is formed by the cards played, its
value is pegged by the person that plays the card which completes the
combination; but neither player is allowed to play a card which will
make the total pip value of the cards played pass 31. The method of
forming and pegging these various combinations in play will be better
understood if they are described separately. A card once played cannot
be taken up again, unless it passes 31.
_=Pairs.=_ If the first card played by the pone should be a 6, and the
dealer had a 6 also, the latter would probably play it, announcing:
“Twelve, with a pair,” and pegging two holes. If the pone held a third
six he would immediately play it, announcing: “Eighteen, with a pair
royal,” and would peg six holes for the three pairs which can be formed
with the three Sixes, although he did not hold all of them. If the
dealer was fortunate enough to hold the fourth Six he might rejoin
with: “Twenty-four, with a double-pair-royal.” This would entitle him
to peg twelve more holes, although he had already pegged the single
pair.
_=Sequences.=_ Suppose the first card played by the pone was a 4. The
dealer plays a 2, announcing: “Six.” The pone plays a 3, announcing:
“Nine, with a run of three,” and pegging three holes for the sequence
formed in play. The dealer plays an Ace; “Ten, with a run of four,” and
pegs four holes for the sequence of four cards made in play, all of
which are face upward on the table, although he held only two of them.
_=Fifteens.=_ The pone then plays a 5, which, added to the 10 just
announced by the dealer, makes 15, with a run of five cards; seven
holes to peg altogether. (This is quite independent of the sequence
previously scored, just as the double pair royal was of the previous
single pair.) The dealer now plays a deuce, and announces seventeen.
This card does not form any sequence with those that have gone
immediately before it, because if the order of play is retraced it will
be found that another deuce is encountered before we reach the Four.
This illustrates the rule already given, that sequences formed in play
must always be single, and cannot be reckoned with substitute cards,
like pairs royal. If they could, the last player in this case might
claim a double run of five and a pair.
The pone now plays another 4, which forms the sequence afresh if we go
back to the third card played. He announces: “Twenty-one, with a run of
five,” and pegs five holes more. The dealer plays a 3, also claiming a
run of five, which he pegs, and as that is the last card to be played
in that hand he also pegs one hole for _=last card=_.
The total score of the dealer is now 10 points, and that of the pone is
15. The cards they held, and the order in which they were played is as
follows:--
[Illustration:
Pone:-- 🂤 🃃 🃕 🃔
Dealer:-- 🃂 🂱 🂲 🃓
]
_=SHOWING.=_ In order to illustrate the manner of counting the hands,
which is called showing, let us suppose the starter to be a Queen,
and that the pone discarded an Ace and a Ten for the crib, the dealer
laying out two Jacks.
The non-dealer always has the first show, as an offset to the advantage
of the dealer’s crib. The pone therefore shows his hand, which,
combined with the starter, is as follows:--
[Illustration:
🂭 🃃 🂤 🃔 🃕
]
This is worth 10 holes; the run of three with one duplicate is always
worth 8, and the fifteen formed by the starter and the Five counts 2
more. This puts the pone’s total score to 25 points.
The dealer then counts, showing his hand first. This, with the starter,
is as follows:--
[Illustration:
🂭 🂱 🂲 🃂 🃓
]
This is worth 14 holes. In addition to the run of three with one
duplicate, three fifteens can be formed by combining the starter and
a Three with each of the deuces, and then taking the starter and the
Ace with both the deuces together. This puts the dealer’s total score
to 24, with the crib still to count. This is as follows, with the
starter:--
[Illustration:
🂭 🃛 🂫 🃚 🂡
]
This is worth 9 holes; 8 for the run of three with one duplicate, and
1 for his nobs. There are no fifteens, and the Ace is worthless. This
puts the dealer three holes round the corner, and on the homestretch
for the game hole.
The deal now passes to the player that was the pone, and the next crib
will belong to him.
Beginners often experience difficulty in deciding when a run has been
made in play, and when it has not. If there is any dispute about it,
the cards should be placed as shown in these diagrams, and if any
duplicate is encountered before the run is complete, it cannot be
pegged.
Take the following examples:--
[Illustration:
🂡 🃒 🃖 🃄
🃅 🂲 🃓
]
There is no sequence, because we encounter a duplicate deuce before we
reach the Five. If the last player had a Five to play now, it would
make a run of five cards, stopping at the deuce of hearts. Take the
following:--
[Illustration:
🂦 🃑 🃅 🃒
🂣 🂤 🃁 🂶
]
There is no sequence; but if the pone had played his Five for his
second card, the dealer would have pegged two runs; one of four, and
one of six, besides the last card; the pone making one run of five and
a pair, as follows:--
[Illustration:
🂦 🃅 🃒 🃑
🂣 🂤 🃁 🂶
]
It will be seen that if the dealer had not played his Ace and kept
his Six at the last, the pone would have pegged eleven holes on him,
instead of seven.
_=Go, and Thirty-one.=_ When a person has no card which he can play
without making the total pip value of all the cards played more than
31, he must say to his adversary: “Go.” That is, “Go on and play, for I
cannot.” If his adversary has no cards left, the player must say “go”
to himself. When a person is told to go, he must play as many cards
as he can without passing 31. If he reaches 31 exactly, he scores two
points; if he cannot quite reach it, he scores one point for the go.
The principle is that if 31 cannot be made by either player, the one
playing the card that brought the count nearest to it shall count one
for it, even if he has told himself to go. There is no count for “last
card” if it makes 31. But the “last card” counts if it makes 15.
If a player tells another to go when he can still play himself, he
forfeits two points, and his adversary may, if he chooses, take back
the cards to the point where the error occurred and have them played
over again. The same penalty can be enforced against a player who pegs
for a go when he can still play.
Suppose the first card played is a Jack. The dealer, holding two Nines,
an Eight, and a Five, plays the Five, and pegs 2 for the fifteen. The
pone plays a Nine, announcing the total as twenty-four. The dealer
cannot pair this Nine, because it would run the count past 31, neither
can he play the Eight, so he says, “Go.” The pone pegs the go without
playing, which shows that he is also unable to play, having nothing so
small as a Seven.
Both then turn down the cards already played, and the one whose turn
it is to play begins all over again with his remaining cards or card,
announcing its face value, his adversary playing after him until their
cards are exhausted or they reach another 31.
To continue the foregoing example, let us suppose the dealer to play
one of his Nines. The pone plays a Jack, and announces “Nineteen.” The
dealer plays his remaining Nine, and calls “Twenty-eight.” The pone
tells him to go, and he pegs one. These three cards are turned down.
The pone then plays a Ten, and the dealer marks one for the last card.
The hands and crib are then shown.
If either player can reach exactly 31, he scores two points for it,
whether he has been told to go or not. Suppose the pone begins with
a Nine. The dealer plays a Six and pegs 2 for the fifteen. The pone
pairs the Six, calls “Twenty-one,” and pegs 2 for the pair. The dealer
with two Fives and a Four in his hand, plays the Four, and calls
“Twenty-five,” hoping the pone has no small card, which will allow
the dealer to make a run of three with one of his Fives if he is told
to go. But the pone plays a Five, calling: “Thirty, with a run of
three.” The dealer tells him to go, and he plays an Ace, pegging two
holes for the 31. The cards are all turned down, and the pone having
no cards, the dealer plays his two Fives, and pegs a pair and the
last card. The pair counts in this case because the adversary has no
cards to interfere with it. A run of three might be played and scored
in the same way, because the score for combinations made in play are
determined by the order in which the cards are played, irrespective of
who plays them.
_=Irregularities in Hands.=_ If a player is found to have too many or
too few cards, after he has laid out for the crib, his adversary pegs
two points, and may also claim a fresh deal. If the deal is allowed to
stand, superfluous cards must be drawn at random by the adversary, who
may look at the card or cards so drawn before placing them in the pack.
If either player is found to have too few cards after having laid out
for the crib, he has no remedy. His adversary pegs two points, and the
short hand must be played and shown for what it is worth.
_=Irregular Cribs.=_ If the superfluous card is found in the crib,
and the non-dealer had the short hand, the dealer may reckon all the
combinations he can make in the six-card crib; but if it was the
dealer who had the short hand, the superfluous crib is void. If the
crib contains a superfluous card, both the players having their right
number, the non-dealer pegs two holes for the evident misdeal, and the
crib is void. If both players have their right number, and the crib is
short, it must be shown for what it is worth; but the non-dealer pegs
two holes for the evident misdeal.
_=Irregular Announcements.=_ There is no penalty if a player announces
a wrong number as the total of the cards played, provided he does
not peg an erroneous fifteen or thirty-one. If the following player
does not correct the announcement, but plays and adds to it, the
error cannot be rectified. If any holes are pegged for an erroneous
announcement, the adversary may demand that they be taken down again,
and may add the number to his own score.
_=Miscounting.=_ If a player over-counts his hand, crib, or play, and
pegs the points erroneously claimed, his adversary may call attention
to the error, demand that the superfluous points be taken down again,
and may add them to his own score as penalty. Should a player neglect
to peg the full value of his hand, crib, or play, his adversary may add
the neglected points to his own score, after pointing out the omission.
Should a player be mistaken in exacting either of these penalties, he
must not only take down what he pegged, but allow his adversary to peg
the same number as penalty.
None of these corrections can be claimed until the player in error has
pegged and quitted the score; that is, removed his fingers from the
front peg. The claim should always be prefaced by the word _=Muggins=_.
If the error is one of omission in play, the adversary must play his
own card before claiming muggins. If it is in the hand or crib, the
adversary must wait until the points claimed are pegged and quitted. If
there are no points claimed, he must wait until the cards are turned
face down, thus acknowledging that there is apparently nothing to
score. A player is not allowed to tell his adversary whether or not he
has counted his hand or crib correctly, until it is pegged.
_=Nineteen.=_ As it is impossible to hold 19 in hand or crib, it is
a common practice for a player, when he has nothing at all to score,
to announce, “Nineteen.” The numbers twenty-seven, twenty-six and
twenty-five are also impossible.
_=Pegging.=_ Neither player is allowed to touch the other’s pegs. If
the score is erroneous, the player in fault must be called upon to
remedy it himself. A player whose pegs are touched by his adversary can
score two holes for penalty. If a player removes his adversary’s front
peg, the latter may immediately claim the game. If a player displaces
his own front peg, he must place it behind the other. If both players
displace their front pegs, as by accident, they may agree to replace
them where they believe them to have stood; but if they cannot agree
they must call the game void.
_=Pegging Out.=_ In pegging during the play, the first man to reach
his game hole wins, no matter what either may have in hand or crib. If
neither can peg out in play, the non-dealer has the first show. If he
cannot show out, the dealer proceeds to count his hand and then his
crib. If he cannot show out there must be a new deal.
_=CHEATING.=_ The greatest advantage at Cribbage is to secure good
starters, and for this purpose the greek adopts various methods of
trimming and marking the cards so that he may secure a starter exactly
suited to his hand. After trimming certain cards a trifle longer or
shorter than others, the pack to be cut may be presented to the pone in
such a manner that he will unconsciously lift them either by the ends
or the sides, according to the wish of the dealer, and so uncover a
starter exactly suited to the dealer’s hand or crib. When the sharper
has the cut, he can of course uncover any card he pleases. With marked
edges, the pone can cut down to a card of any desired denomination.
Some audacious gamblers make it a rule to get a starter by simply
removing the top card and turning up the next one. It is needless to
say that the second card has been carefully pre-arranged. Any person
who fingers the pack longer than necessary in cutting starters, or
who cuts sometimes by the edge and sometimes by the side, will bear
watching. Marked cards and second dealing are great weapons in a game
where so much depends on a knowledge of the adversary’s hand, and on
securing good counting cards for yourself.
_=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ In the six-card game the hand is more
valuable than the crib, because you know what it contains, whereas the
crib is largely speculative. In the five-card game, in which there
are only three cards in the hand and four in the crib, it is usual to
sacrifice the hand very largely for the possibilities of the crib,
because of the much larger scores that can be made with five cards, the
starter and four in the crib.
_=Baulking.=_ In both games it is the duty of the pone to baulk the
dealer’s crib as much as possible, by laying out cards which are very
unlikely to be worth anything, either in making fifteens or in filling
up sequences. Pairs it is impossible to provide against, and the
chance of making a flush is remote, but should be avoided if there is
any choice. The best baulk is a King and Nine; tenth cards and Aces
are also very good cards to lay out. Cards which are at least two pips
apart, called _=wide cards=_, are better than _=close cards=_, as the
latter may form sequences. Fives are very bad discards, and so are any
cards that form a five or a fifteen.
_=The Crib.=_ In laying out for his own crib, the dealer should
preserve his own hand as much as possible; but other things being
equal, the best cards to lay out are pairs, close cards, and cards that
form fives, such as Fours and Aces. If these elements can be combined,
so much the better. An Eight and a Seven, for instance, are not only
close cards, being only one pip apart, but form a fifteen. The same is
true of a trey and deuce.
_=Keeping.=_ In selecting the hand to keep, much depends on the score.
Early in the game you want a counting hand; near the end, especially
if you have only four or five points to go, you want a pegging hand;
that is, one with every card different, so that you can pair several
cards, or make fifteens with almost anything that the pone may lead. In
keeping a counting hand, much depends on whether it is good in itself,
or needs a starter. In reckoning on the possibilities of the starter,
it must never be forgotten that there are sixteen tenth cards in the
pack, and that they are therefore the most probable starters of all. It
is better to keep sequences open at both ends than those open in the
middle. With two Sevens and two Eights, either a Six or a Nine will
make your hand worth 24; but with two Eights and two Sixes, nothing but
a Seven will improve your hand more than 4 points. Sequences are the
best to keep, especially those of three cards with a duplicate. After
them pairs royal are valuable, and next to them cards which will make
a number of fives in various combinations, such as two Threes and two
deuces.
_=Leading.=_ There are two systems of playing, known as _=playing
off=_, and _=playing on=_, and they are selected according to the
player’s position in the score. Long experience has shown that in
six-card Cribbage the average expectation of the non-dealer for his
hand and play is 12 points; and for the dealer, in hand, crib, and
play, is 17. This being so, each player having had a deal, their scores
should be about 29. If a player is 29 or more, he is said to be _=at
home=_; and if he is seven or more points ahead of his adversary on
even deals, he is said to be _=safe at home=_. When a player is safe at
home, he should play off; that is, take no chances of scoring himself
that might give his adversary a chance to make a still better score.
This is usually found in the method of playing sequences. A player who
avoids playing cards that might lead up to a run is said to play off.
If he invites the run, hoping to make it longer himself, he is said to
play on. When a player is behind, it is better for him to play on,
and to seize every chance to score, especially with sequences. As it
is considered an advantage to be ahead on the first deal, most players
prefer a forward game on the opening hand.
_=Playing Off.=_ In this it is best to play cards on which it is
unlikely that your adversary can score. Lead Aces, Twos and Threes,
which cannot be made into fifteens. Do not pair his cards unless you
have a card which will make you a double pair royal, (without passing
31,) if he should make a pair royal on you. Do not play close cards
which he may turn into sequences.
Never play a card which will allow the adversary to make a double
score, such as a pair and a fifteen, or a sequence and a fifteen at the
same time. Such as the following are all bad plays: 9 on 3; 7 on A; 6
on 3, 4, or 5; 5 on 5; 4 on 7; 3 on 9; A on 7. All these expose you to
the immediate rejoinder of a double count. Of course, if you have the
card to make a pair royal in return, that is another matter, and is
playing on, not playing off.
Do not play a card which brings the pip count to 5 or 21 if you can
help it; because any tenth card will enable your adversary to peg two
holes. Be a little wary about pairing the first card played, unless you
have a third of the same denomination. If you have a choice between
a pair and a sequence, your decision will depend on whether you are
playing off or on. If you are playing off, make the pair, and take no
chances of long runs.
_=Playing On.=_ In this you play to give your adversary a count, hoping
to make a better yourself. It is always advantageous to play one of a
pair, and to begin with one end of a sequence. If he pairs your first
card, you can reply with a pair royal. If he plays to make a sequence,
you can sometimes hold him off until you get the score, and he will be
unable to continue the run without passing 31. Play one of two cards
that form a five, such as 3 and 2; 4 and A. If he plays a tenth card
to it, you can peg fifteen. In playing on, you should make all the
sequences possible, taking chances of your adversary’s being able to
continue the run. If you think he is leading you on, you must be guided
by the state of the score as to how much you can risk.